Mail-catcher.



G. R. MARSHALL.

MAIL CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED 050.19.1916.

IQWAMB Patented May 22, 1917.

'2 SHEETSSHEET I.

G. R. MARSHALL.

MAIL CATCHER. I APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19. 1916- Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- GEORGE R. MARSHALL, OIE HUNKERS, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-GATCHER.

Application filed December 19, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen R. MARSHALL, a citizen of the United States residing at Hunkers, in the county of Vvestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail- 'Gatchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mail bag catcher and has for its primary object to so construct a device of this character that the impact between the mechanism and mail bag will be partly absorbed and a portion of the impact relied on to set the mechanism into operation which in turn arranges the mail bag in convenient reach of the post master.

An object of the invention is the novel manner of resiliently supporting the arm in an operative position and rigidly holding the arm in an inoperative position; that is to say in a position to allow the post master to relieve the mechanism of the mail bag.

Besides the above my invention is distinguished in the use of manually operated means for returning the arm to operative position when the mail bag has been taken from the mechanism and retarding the speed of the arm toward said operative position.

With these and other objects in view the invention will be better understood from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a mail car showing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mail car.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view.

Figs. 4: and 5 are detail sectional views.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the support for the mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a plate secured to the frame of the mail car adjacent the the door therein. This plate 1 is provided with a dove tail slot 2 cooperating with a dove tail extension 3 on the bracket i. J ournaled to the bracket 4 is a shaft 5 upon which is mounted a ratchet wheel 6 and catcher arm 7. This arm 7 is curved to engage the mail sack and for holding the mail sack upon the arm I provide a catch 8 cooperating with the arm 7 to form a flaring space 9 and a pocket 10. This catch 8 is pivotally supported in thearm and yield- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Inlay 22, 1917.

Serial No. 137,855.

ably forcing the catch toward the arm is a leaf spring 11. The arm 7 also has connection with one end of a coil spring 12 associated with the shaft 13 that in turn is supported in the bracket. For giving the proper extension to the spring I provide the pawl and ratchet device lat.

From this arrangement it will be seen that the coil spring yieldably holds the arm 7 in an operative position and the arm 7 is limited in its travel toward its operative position by a plate 14% which besides limiting the movement of the arm 7 shelters the mechanism within the bracket. The ratchet wheel 6 cooperates with the pawl 15 which is pivotally supported by the bracket and acted upon by the spring 16. In this particular instance the ratchet wheel 6 is formed with a cylindrical extension 17 the peripheral surface of which cooperates with a shoe 18 that is pivotally supported by the bracket as illustrated at 19.

For the purpose of insuring the brake 18 engaging the extension 17 when the pawl 15 is disengaged from the ratchet the pawl and shoe will be pivotally connected together by a link 20. Loosely mounted upon the pin 21 that connects the link to the shoe is a roller 22 with which cooperates the cam surface 23 of an operating rod 24 continuously operated upon by the coil expansion spring 25 and which is adapted to be manually operated by gripping the handle 26.

The impact of the mail bag striking the arm 7 operates the catch 8 and traps the bag in the pocket 10. The force created by the impact of the bag will also move the arm in a circular path while the pawl 15 cooperating with the ratchet wheel prevents return movement of the arm 7 by the resiliency of the coil spring 12.

The arm 7 is now arranged in front of the door of the mail car where the bag may be taken from the mechanism by the post master. After the bag has been taken from the mechanism the post master operates the rod 24 which through its cam action with the shoe causes the same to engage the extension 17 and throw the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet. The engagement between the shoe and extension prevents violent engagement between the arm and bracket when the latter reaches normal position.

It is to be understood that while all of the several features of my improved mechanism have special cooperation with one another and together constitute a particularly GEGCUXG mechanism for the purpose in View, certain of these features may be applied in other relations, and I therefore desire to cover the combinations present in the several parts of my improved mechanism Whether employed in the general organization shown or elsewhere.

It is to be understood that the structural embodiment of the invention as a Whole and its various features as shown is merely illustrative and not restrictive since I am Well aware that many of the details of construction can be Widely varied Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not desire to be limited in these 1 articulars or in any others, except as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A mail bag catcher comprising an arm, a catch resiliently supported by the arm, a shaft supporting the arm for rotation, resilient means for holding the arm in an operative position, mechanical means associated with said shaft for rigidly holding the arm in an inoperative position, and manu ally operated means for rendering said me chanical means inoperative and braking the movement of said shaft.

2. A mail bag catcher comprising an arm, a catcher arm, a shaft supporting the arm for rotation, a coil spring mounted to yieldably hold the arm in an operative position, a ratchet Wheel secured to the shaft, a pawl associated With the ratchet Wheel and manually operated means for retracting said pawl and braking the movement of said arm.

3. A mail bag catcher comprising an arm, a catcher arm, a shaft supporting the arm for rotation, a coil spring mounted to yie1dably hold the arm .in an operative position, a ratchet Wheel secured to the shaft, a pawl associated with the ratchet and manually operated means for retncting said paWl and braking the movement of said arm, said means including a shoe adapted to move into engagement With a portion of the ratchet wheel and pivotally connected to said pawl whereby said shoe and pawl will move in unison.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE R. MARSHALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

